My story | My experience

My story

Ever since I have been a teenager I was around autistic children. My mother worked with children with psychological disorders. She often took me to her work and I enjoyed playing with children from her group. I loved those times and had a lot of fun.
There were several children who never wanted to take part in any group games. They seemed to be in their own world. My mom explained to me that these children were autistic. She told me everything she knew about this diagnoses. Whenever I asked a professional about these „mysterious“ children I felt a sense of hopelessness in people´s voices. I was told that those children will never express love, will never have meaningful relationships and so on and so on.

I continued visiting mom´s work and started to notice that when I was alone with a child with autism, they seemed to notice me more. I had a great experience with an autistic boy, who looked at me, smiled at me and took my hand. Every time I came to visit him, he gave me a wonderful smile and seemed to enjoy my presence. I simply didn´t want to believe all I had been told about autistic children. I started to feel a big desire to get closer to this boy, to understand him better.
The methods which were used in the Czech Republic were mostly behavioral modifications. I didn´t really like them because they reminded me more of animal training. I decided to find a loving respectful method and bring it to the Czech Republic.

I went to look for this method in England. I was really lucky to find a family who did a home based program (The Son-rise program) for their son and were looking for a volunteer.  I fell in love with this boy immediately and was really happy about finding such a wonderful method, both respectful and effective at the same time. I started to work with Gyan every single day. I was really inspired by him and his dedicated and energetic mother. She was the first person who taught me about the Son-rise program. I want to thank this wonderful boy (Gyan) and his great family (especially Zenobia) for helping me find the „work of my life“. I knew really soon that I wanted to learn about this method more. It was not only effective with autistic children, but it helped me become calmer, concentrated on the present and happier.

I applied for the professional Son-rise program child facilitator training and was accepted. It was almost impossible for a Czech person to get a study/working visa for the USA  (Czech Republic was not a member of the EU then). But to my surprise everything went really smoothly. I was able to save some money to pay an American government agency to help me get the visa.

From the beginning of my training at the Autism Treatment Center of America everything went really quickly. The training was very intensive!! After hours of playing with over 200 autistic children in our special designed playrooms, hours of feedback sessions filled with laughter, crying and deep self exploration I got certified in May 2002.

During my training at the Autism Treatment Center of America I was also volunteering in Jade Hogan´s Son-rise program. Jade is the daughter of Bryn Hogan (director of the Son-rise program, Raun Kaufman´s sister and William Hogan, dean of professional training at the Autism Treatment Center of America)

This was a wonderful opportunity to see the integration part of the Son-rise program as Jade was at that time coming out of her autism. We spent hours in the playroom but also played outside, went to fairs, did joint sessions (two people in the playroom).
One day I came to play with Jade. She was just ending a session with her mother Bryn. Suddenly, Jade started to cry and hugged her mother. She didn´t want her to leave. I didn´think much of the situation, until I looked at Bryn, she had tears in her eyes too. This was the first time her daughter hugged her spontaneously and cried for her. That was such a strong moment. Today, Jade is recovered from her diagnoses, has many friends, goes to school and is a very beautiful sociable teenager.

 After I finished my training, my visa ran out and it was time for me to bring the Son-rise program to the Czech republic.!! I started to go to autism conferences, I did some radio interviews and was a part of 4 TV documentaries about the Son-rise program (in the Czech and Slovak republic and in Norway).

There was a huge desire for a loving, respectful and effective method for autistic children. Many parents asked me for help. Czech parents started to go to the Start up program. The Son-rise program has slowly become public knowledge.

Now there is a beautiful community of Son-rise families in the Czech republic, who are very active in spreading the word. They meet every year and share their experiences. I love playing with Czech and Slovak children and meeting their wonderful parents!! (finally I can speak to a child in my mother tongue:)

Since my return to Europe (in 2002) I have also been  enjoying working with families all around Europe. (I can say „nice look“ in many European languages now:)

This is my dream work!! I thank everybody who has helped me on my journey.

My mother, Zenobia Sharma, Gyan Sharma and their family- my first Son-rise family Bears and Samharia Kaufman-founders of the Son-rise program Raun Kaufman- first Son-rise child, now teacher and trainer at the ATCA Bryn, William, Jade and Malik Hogan Sean, Kate, Tali, Molly, Joanna, Geard, Johnathan, Carolina- my SRP teachers Amy and Christina-my classmates Megy, Vlado, Robin and Ronja-first Son-rise family in the Slovac republic Pavel, Veronika, Ivan, Marketa, Marta, Marketa 2, Honza, Sarka, Michal, Monika and so on and so on.

Biggest thanks to all the special children I have ever met:
Wojtech, Adam, Magda, Czarek, Boti, Paulinka, Robin, Matej, Martin, Tobik, Vitek, Jachym, Martin2, Maruska 1, Maruska 2, Terezka, Samuelle, Luka, Janko, Marco, Denisa, Marika, Jade, Jake 1, Jake 2, Maria, Gyan, Patric, Rodger, Jason, Moishe, Krishna, Rama, Rebecca, Maria 2, Sathwika, Nils, John, Lindsay and so on and so on.

Thanks to those children´s inspiring parents!!!

My experience

• I am the longest practicing certified Son-rise program child facilitator in private practice

• I have been working with the Son-rise program for over 10 years
• my professional qualities are guaranteed by the AUTISM TREATMENT CENTER OF AMERICA (I am a member of the Son-rise program Professional network /I need to renew my certificate every 2 years/)

• during my years a a certified child facilitator I have been working with hundreds of children and adults at the autism spectrum

• I am fully experienced with working with mute passive children/adults as well as children and adults with higher functioning autism
• I had unique experience to work with children who overcame their diagnoses completely: (Jade Hogan, USA/Kyle Westphal, USA/Jake Nelson, USA/Wojtech Wilk, Poland)
• I work with children and adults all over Europe (Netherlands, Sweden, Norway, Italy, Poland, Slovak republic, Czech republic /where I reside/ etc.)
• I am highly experienced with working with non English speaking children using a volunteer as a translator to communicate with a child
• I am married with 2 children